0:00:00.960,0:00:04.284
There are a lot of ways[br]the people around us

0:00:04.308,0:00:06.411
can help improve our lives.

0:00:06.435,0:00:08.055
We don't bump into every neighbor,

0:00:08.079,0:00:11.126
so a lot of wisdom never gets passed on,

0:00:11.150,0:00:13.602
though we do share the same public spaces.

0:00:14.102,0:00:16.863
So over the past few years,[br]I've tried ways to share more

0:00:16.887,0:00:19.203
with my neighbors in public space,

0:00:19.227,0:00:22.187
using simple tools like[br]stickers, stencils and chalk.

0:00:22.798,0:00:26.170
And these projects came[br]from questions I had, like:

0:00:26.194,0:00:28.885
How much are my neighbors[br]paying for their apartments?

0:00:28.909,0:00:30.099
(Laughter)

0:00:30.123,0:00:32.377
How can we lend and borrow more things,

0:00:32.401,0:00:35.400
without knocking on each[br]other's doors at a bad time?

0:00:36.718,0:00:40.771
How can we share more memories[br]of our abandoned buildings,

0:00:40.795,0:00:43.210
and gain a better understanding[br]of our landscape?

0:00:44.551,0:00:48.869
How can we share more of our hopes[br]for our vacant storefronts,

0:00:48.893,0:00:52.346
so our communities can reflect[br]our needs and dreams today?

0:00:54.774,0:00:56.705
Now, I live in New Orleans,

0:00:56.729,0:00:59.046
and I am in love with New Orleans.

0:00:59.400,0:01:03.908
My soul is always soothed[br]by the giant live oak trees,

0:01:03.932,0:01:08.304
shading lovers, drunks and dreamers[br]for hundreds of years,

0:01:08.328,0:01:11.590
and I trust a city that always[br]makes way for music.

0:01:11.614,0:01:14.032
I feel like every time someone sneezes,

0:01:14.056,0:01:15.295
New Orleans has a parade.

0:01:15.319,0:01:16.604
(Laughter)

0:01:16.628,0:01:20.144
The city has some of the most[br]beautiful architecture in the world,

0:01:20.168,0:01:24.088
but it also has one of the highest amounts[br]of abandoned properties in America.

0:01:24.802,0:01:26.230
I live near this house,

0:01:26.254,0:01:30.095
and I thought about how I could[br]make it a nicer space for my neighborhood,

0:01:30.119,0:01:33.833
and I also thought about something[br]that changed my life forever.

0:01:36.306,0:01:39.860
In 2009, I lost someone I loved very much.

0:01:40.670,0:01:43.598
Her name was Joan,[br]and she was a mother to me.

0:01:44.574,0:01:47.336
And her death was sudden and unexpected.

0:01:51.164,0:01:53.037
And I thought about death a lot.

0:01:57.561,0:02:03.632
And ... this made me feel deep[br]gratitude for the time I've had.

0:02:04.242,0:02:11.187
And ... brought clarity to the things[br]that are meaningful to my life now.

0:02:14.663,0:02:18.718
But I struggle to maintain[br]this perspective in my daily life.

0:02:19.464,0:02:22.273
I feel like it's easy to get[br]caught up in the day-to-day,

0:02:22.297,0:02:24.187
and forget what really matters to you.

0:02:24.980,0:02:27.110
So with help from old and new friends,

0:02:27.134,0:02:30.988
I turned the side of this abandoned[br]house into a giant chalkboard,

0:02:31.012,0:02:33.919
and stenciled it with[br]a fill-in-the-blank sentence:

0:02:33.943,0:02:36.931
"Before I die, I want to ..."

0:02:38.463,0:02:41.542
So anyone walking by[br]can pick up a piece of chalk,

0:02:41.566,0:02:42.964
reflect on their life,

0:02:42.988,0:02:45.732
and share their personal[br]aspirations in public space.

0:02:47.486,0:02:50.580
I didn't know what to expect[br]from this experiment,

0:02:50.604,0:02:53.925
but by the next day,[br]the wall was entirely filled out,

0:02:53.949,0:02:55.360
and it kept growing.

0:02:55.941,0:02:59.283
And I'd like to share a few things[br]that people wrote on this wall.

0:03:01.944,0:03:05.377
"Before I die, I want[br]to be tried for piracy."

0:03:05.401,0:03:11.845
(Laughter)

0:03:12.201,0:03:16.391
"Before I die, I want to straddle[br]the International Dateline."

0:03:18.208,0:03:21.470
"Before I die, I want[br]to sing for millions."

0:03:22.979,0:03:25.702
"Before I die, I want to plant a tree."

0:03:28.727,0:03:31.631
"Before I die, I want[br]to live off the grid."

0:03:33.350,0:03:36.822
"Before I die, I want[br]to hold her one more time."

0:03:39.779,0:03:43.359
"Before I die, I want[br]to be someone's cavalry."

0:03:45.565,0:03:50.093
"Before I die, I want[br]to be completely myself."

0:03:53.971,0:03:57.946
So this neglected space[br]became a constructive one,

0:03:57.970,0:04:02.842
and people's hopes and dreams[br]made me laugh out loud, tear up,

0:04:02.866,0:04:05.755
and they consoled me[br]during my own tough times.

0:04:06.106,0:04:08.520
It's about knowing you're not alone;

0:04:08.544,0:04:12.226
it's about understanding our neighbors[br]in new and enlightening ways;

0:04:12.250,0:04:15.599
it's about making space[br]for reflection and contemplation,

0:04:15.623,0:04:20.579
and remembering what really matters[br]most to us as we grow and change.

0:04:22.159,0:04:23.396
I made this last year,

0:04:23.420,0:04:26.815
and started receiving hundreds[br]of messages from passionate people

0:04:26.839,0:04:29.256
who wanted to make a wall[br]with their community.

0:04:29.280,0:04:32.456
So, my civic center colleagues[br]and I made a tool kit,

0:04:32.480,0:04:35.298
and now walls have been made[br]in countries around the world,

0:04:35.322,0:04:38.735
including Kazakhstan,

0:04:38.759,0:04:41.470
South Africa,

0:04:41.494,0:04:43.946
Australia,

0:04:43.970,0:04:45.962
Argentina, and beyond.

0:04:46.429,0:04:49.311
Together, we've shown how powerful[br]our public spaces can be

0:04:49.335,0:04:52.036
if we're given the opportunity[br]to have a voice,

0:04:52.060,0:04:54.135
and share more with one another.

0:04:57.667,0:04:59.779
Two of the most valuable things we have

0:04:59.803,0:05:03.230
are time, and our relationships[br]with other people.

0:05:04.262,0:05:06.786
In our age of increasing distractions,

0:05:06.810,0:05:10.286
it's more important than ever[br]to find ways to maintain perspective,

0:05:10.310,0:05:13.514
and remember that life[br]is brief and tender.

0:05:14.268,0:05:17.308
Death is something that we're[br]often discouraged to talk about,

0:05:17.332,0:05:18.602
or even think about,

0:05:18.626,0:05:20.950
but I've realized that preparing for death

0:05:20.974,0:05:23.728
is one of the most empowering[br]things you can do.

0:05:24.204,0:05:26.759
Thinking about death clarifies your life.

0:05:29.711,0:05:32.600
Our shared spaces can better[br]reflect what matters to us,

0:05:32.624,0:05:35.913
as individuals and as a community,

0:05:35.937,0:05:39.873
and with more ways to share[br]our hopes, fears and stories,

0:05:39.897,0:05:43.817
the people around us can not only[br]help us make better places,

0:05:43.841,0:05:45.912
they can help us lead better lives.

0:05:46.285,0:05:47.437
Thank you.

0:05:47.461,0:05:52.034
(Applause)

0:05:52.058,0:05:53.214
Thank you.

0:05:53.238,0:05:58.677
(Applause)